Chrysanthemum plant named `White Refocus`

ABSTRACT

A chrysanthemum plant named WHITE REFOCUS characterized by its small blooms with white ray florets and green-yellow disc florets.

The present plant is related to the plants of the following co- pendingapplications:

    ______________________________________                                        Application no.                                                                           Filing Date     Title                                             ______________________________________                                        09/149,300  09/09/98        Refocus                                           09/149,299  09/09/98        Pink Refocus                                      09/149,460  09/09/98        Red Refocus                                       ______________________________________                                    

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new a distinct cultivar ofchrysanthemum plant that is a natural occuring sport of a parentchrysanthemum named Refocus. Parent chrysanthemum Refocus is alsodescribed in this application. The new cultivar was discovered as awhole plant mutation in May, 1995 by Rob Noodelijk in a greenhouse inRijsenhout, Holland.

The first act of asexual reproduction of WHITE REFOCUS was accomplishedwhen vegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection inAugust, 1995 in a controlled environment in Ter Aar, Holland.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a new and distinct variety of chrysanthemumbearing a small sized bloom with white ray florets and green-yellow discflorets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention of a new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum isshown in the accompanying drawings, the color being as nearly true aspossible with color photographs of this type.

FIG. 1 shows the stem of the cultivar in full bloom.

FIG. 2 shows the various stages of bloom and foliage of the newcultivar.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This new variety of chrysanthemum is of the botanical classificationDendranthema grandiflora. When grown in the vicinity of Rijsenhout,Holland, it has a response time of approximately 8 weeks. This newvariety produces small sized blooms with white ray florets andgreen-yellow disc florets having a 3 week performance (i.e, vase life of21 days). This new variety of chrysanthemum has been found to retain itsdistinctive characteristics throughout successive propagations. However,the phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment suchas light intensity and temperature. To show the phenotype as described,White Refocus may be planted year round under green house conditions inHolland. The following is a description of the plant and characteristicsthat distinguish White Refocus as a new and distinct variety.

The color designations are taken from the plant itself. Accordingly, anydiscrepancies between the color designations and the colors depicted inthe photographs are due to photographic tolerances.

    ______________________________________                                                                   Parent Cultivar                                    CULTIVAR     WHITE REFOCUS REFOCUS                                            ______________________________________                                        Bud                                                                           Size         medium cross section                                                                        medium, cross section                                           ±1.5 cm, height                                                                          ±1.2 cm, height                                              ±1.0 cm    ±1.2 cm                                         Outside Color                                                                              yellow-orange 20D                                                                           red-purple 70A                                     Bloom                                                                         Size         small         small                                              Fully Expanded                                                                             31/2-4 cm     4-41/2 cm                                          Borne        upper portion single                                                                        upper portion single                                            flower per peduncle,                                                                        flower per peduncle,                                            lower portion plural                                                                        lower portion plural                                            flower per peduncle                                                                         flower perpeduncle                                 Number of Blooms (per                                                                      average of 10 average of 10                                      single stem)                                                                  Peduncle Lengths                                                                           near the top ±10 cm,                                                                     near the top ±10 cm,                                         near the middle 20 cm,                                                                      near the middle 20 cm,                                          near the bottom 20 cm.                                                                      near the bottom 20 cm.                             Peduncle Lateral Shoot,                                                                    medium        medium                                             Attachment                 to strong                                          Peduncle Lateral Shoot,                                                                    30°-35°                                                                       30°-35°                              Angle                                                                         Form         single (daisy)                                                                              single (daisy)                                     Performance (blooming                                                                      good, 21 days good, 21 days                                      period)      (18°-20° C.)                                                                  (18°-20° C.)                         Color                                                                         Center of Flower/disc                                                                      yellow-green 144A at                                                                        yellow-green 145A at                               floret       an early stage of                                                                           an early stage of                                               inflorescence, mature                                                                       inflorescence, mature                                           yellow-orange 14B                                                                           yellow-orange 14B                                  Color of upper surface of                                                                  pure white 155D (but                                                                        red-purple 71C                                     the majority of the                                                                        whiter)                                                          ray-florets                                                                   Color of the lower                                                                         pure white 155D (but                                                                        purple violet 80 D                                 surface of the majority                                                                    whiter)                                                          of the ray-florets                                                            Tonality from Distance                                                                     a clear white small                                                                         a small purple daisy                                            daisy                                                            Discoloration                                                                              ray florets none, disc                                                                      ray-florets to red-                                             florets to yellow-                                                                          purple 72D disc-floret                                          orange 14B    to yellow-orange 14B                               Pollen       none          yellow-orange 14A                                  Ray florets                                                                   Texture      upperside smooth,                                                                           upperside smooth,                                               underside smooth                                                                            underside smooth                                   Number       22-26 (2 rows)                                                                              35-40 (2-3 rows)                                   Cross-section                                                                              convex (no keels)                                                                           concave                                            Longitudinal axis of                                                                       reflexing     straight                                           majority                                                                      Shape of tip rounded       pointed                                            Fragrance    typical chrysanthemum                                                                       typical chrysanthemum                              Disc Diameter                                                                              small to medium                                                                             small to medium                                                 (1.2-15 cm)   (1.0-1.2 cm)                                       Stamen (present in disc                                                                    yellow-green, thin,                                                                         yellow-green, thin,                                florets only)                                                                              ±4 mm in length                                                                          ±4 mm in length                                 Pollen       none          present, abundant                                  Styles (present in both                                                                    yellow-green, thin                                                                          yellow-green, thin                                 ray and disc florets)                                                         Style Length ±4 mm      ±4 mm                                           Stigmas      yellow        yellow                                             Stigma Width ±1 mm      ±1 mm                                           Ovaries      enclosed in calyx                                                                           enclosed in calyx                                  Plant                                                                         Form         spray mum meant for                                                                         spray mum meant for                                             erect culture.                                                                              erect culture.                                                  Herbaceous    Herbaceous                                         Growth       short to medium                                                                             short to medium                                    Height       ±100-105 cm                                                                              ±95-100 cm                                      Stem Color   yellow-green 147B                                                                           yellow-green 146B                                  Stem Strength                                                                              strong        strong                                             Stem Brittleness                                                                           present       present                                            Stem Anthocyanin                                                                           present       absent                                             Coloration                                                                    Internodes   short (1.5-2.0 cm)                                                                          short (1.5-2.0 cm)                                 Flowering Response                                                                         8 weeks       8 weeks                                            (photoperiodic controlled                                                     crop, no natural growing)                                                     Foliage                                                                       Color        upperside yellow-                                                                           upperside yellow-                                               green 147A    green 147A                                                      underside yellow-                                                                           underside yellow-                                               green 147B    green 147B                                         Size         length 9 cm;  length 9 cm;                                                    width 6 cm    width 6 cm                                         Quantity (per single                                                                       30-35         28-32                                              stem)                                                                         Shape        egg-shaped    egg-shaped                                         Texture      fleshy        fleshy                                             Ribs and Veins                                                                             both ribs and veins                                                                         both ribs and veins                                             well developed                                                                              well developed                                     Edge         crenated      crenated                                           Shape of Base of Sinus                                                                     round         round                                              Between Lateral Lobes                                                         Margin of Sinus Between                                                                    converging    converging                                         Lateral Lobes                                                                 Shape of Base                                                                              truncated     rounded                                            Apex         mucronate     mucronate                                          Growth                                                                        Year of Discovery                                                                          1995          1992                                               ______________________________________                                        CULTIVAR     PINK REFOCUS  RED REFOCUS                                        ______________________________________                                        Bud                                                                           Size         medium, cross section                                                                       small cross section                                             ±1.2 cm, height                                                                          ±1.0 cm, Height                                              ±1.2 cm    ±1.2 cm                                         Outside Color                                                                              red-purple 58B                                                                              Red 46B                                            Bloom                                                                         Size         small         small                                              Fully Expanded                                                                             41/2-5 cm     4-41/2 cm                                          Borne        upper portion single                                                                        upper portion single                                            flower perpeduncle,                                                                         flower per peduncle,                                            lower portion plural                                                                        lower portion plural                                            flower per peduncle                                                                         flower per peduncle                                Number of Blooms (per                                                                      average of 10 average of 10                                      single stem)                                                                  Peduncle Lengths                                                                           near the top ±10 cm,                                                                     near the top ±10 cm,                                         near the middle 20 cm,                                                                      near the middle 20 cm,                                          near the bottom 20 cm.                                                                      near the bottom 20 cm.                             Peduncle Lateral Shoot,                                                                    medium to strong                                                                            medium                                             Attachment                                                                    Peduncle Lateral Shoot,                                                                    30°-35°                                                                       30°                                         Angle                                                                         Form         single (daisy)                                                                              single (daisy)                                     Performance (blooming                                                                      good, 21 days good, 21 days                                      period)      (18°-20° C.)                                                                  (18°-20° C.)                         Color                                                                         Center of Flower/disc                                                                      yellow-green 144B at                                                                        yellow-green 144B at                               floret       an early stage of                                                                           an early stage of                                               inflorescence, mature                                                                       inflorescence, mature                                           yellow-orange 14B                                                                           yellow-orange 14B                                  Color of upper surface of                                                                  near red-purple 58C                                                                         red 45A                                            the majority of the                                                           ray-florets                                                                   Color of the lower                                                                         red-purple 58C                                                                              red 45C                                            surface of the majority                                                       of the ray-florets                                                            Tonality from Distance                                                                     a small pink/purple                                                                         a small red daisy                                               daisy                                                            Discoloration                                                                              ray-florets to red-                                                                         ray-florets to red 45C                                          purple 58D disc-floret                                                                      disc-floret to                                                  to yellow-orange 14B                                                                        yellow-orange 14B                                  Pollen       yellow-orange 14A                                                                           yellow-orange 14A                                  Ray florets                                                                   Texture      upperside smoth,                                                                            upperside smooth,                                               underside smooth                                                                            underside smooth                                   Number       38-45 (3 rows)                                                                              35-40 (2-3 rows)                                   Cross-section                                                                              concave       concave                                            Longitudinal axis of                                                                       straight      straight                                           majority                                                                      Shape of tip pointed       pointed                                            Fragrance    typical chrysanthemum                                                                       typical chrysanthemum                              Disc Diameter                                                                              small to medium                                                                             small to medium                                                 (1.0-1.2 cm)  (1.0-1.2 cm)                                       Stamen (present in disc                                                                    yellow-green, thin,                                                                         yellow-green, thin,                                florets only)                                                                              ±4 mm in length                                                                          ±4 mm in length                                 Pollen       Present, abundant                                                                           Present, abundant                                  Styles (present in both                                                                    yellow-green, thin                                                                          yellow-green, thin                                 ray and disc florets)                                                         Style Length ±4 mm      ±4 mm                                           Stigmas      yellow        yellow                                             Stigma Width ±1 mm      ±1 mm                                           Ovaries      enclosed in calyx                                                                           enclosed in calyx                                  Plant                                                                         Form         spray mum meant for                                                                         spray mum meant for                                             erect culture.                                                                              erect culture.                                                  Herbaceous    Herbaceous                                         Growth       short to medium                                                                             short to medium                                    Height       ±100-105 cm                                                                              ±95-100 cm                                      Stem Color   yellow-green 146B                                                                           yellow-green 146B                                  Stem Strength                                                                              strong        strong                                             Stem Brittleness                                                                           absent        absent                                             Stem Anthocyanin                                                                           present       present                                            Coloration                                                                    Internodes   short (1.5-2.0 cm)                                                                          short (1.5-2.0 cm)                                 Flowering Response                                                                         8 weeks       8 weeks                                            (photoperiodic controlled                                                     crop, no natural growing)                                                     Foliage                                                                       Color        upperside yellow-                                                                           upperside yellow-                                               green 147A    green 147A                                                      underside yellow-                                                                           underside yellow-                                               green 147B    green 147B                                         Size         length 9 cm;  length 10 cm;                                                   width 6 cm    width 7 cm                                         Quantity (per single                                                                       28-32         28-32                                              stem)                                                                         Shape        egg-shaped    egg-shaped                                         Texture      fleshy        fleshy                                             Ribs and Veins                                                                             both ribs and veins                                                                         both ribs and veins                                             well developed                                                                              well developed                                     Edge         crenated      crenated                                           Shape of Base of Sinus                                                                     round         round                                              Between Lateral Lobes                                                         Margin of Sinus Between                                                                    converging    converging                                         Lateral Lobes                                                                 Shape of Base                                                                              obtuse        truncated                                          Apex         cuspidate     mucronate                                          Growth                                                                        Year of Discovery                                                                          1993          1993                                               ______________________________________                                    

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum plant asdescribed and illustrated.